Fantasy Steamhaven: Land of the Lost

[Cartoonicat]

They left the police department before the receptionist, much less the officers, returned to their posts.

"You know Dr. Troy?" The boy quirked a skeptical brow as they stepped inside, bell above jingling to alert the doctor.

Before Lianna could reply, a familiar figure, pierced and scarred and bright blue-eyed as she remembered, entered from the back. "I must be getting popular," he smiled at the lad, only to recognize Lianna a heartbeat later. The smile vanished. "Lianna," he greeted.

- Greet him
- Ask how he's been
- Apologize
- Request his help
- Other

 

[ArcticFox]

Lianna could feel her heart drop and her words falter for a moment. She shouldn't be feeling like that in his presence, she barely knew him and had not cared about him. But his words in the basement still rang her ears when she saw him. Was she trying to save a witch child in order to save herself?

"Everett." She nodded in greeting, "This boy will be tried in two hours." She placed a hand on the child's shoulder gently, "I... Stole him from the station. But they will come to search my place first. Can you help?"

 

[Cartoonicat]

At mention of a trial, the chill of his gaze thawed. He looked to the boy, whose eyes cast toward the floor. "Has your mother...?" As the boy nodded, Everett's lips drew into a thin line.

"I'll help, of course," he told Lianna, "though I'm curious why you would."

- Tell the truth
- Make up a lie
- Change the subject
- Say nothing
- Other

 

[ArcticFox]

"He's just a child, even I'm not blind to that." Lianna sighed, crossing her arms. Then she looked at the boy, "By the way, I don't know your name yet."

 

[Cartoonicat]

The boy looked conflicted but, at the subtle shake of Everett's head, still noticed by Lianna due to proximity, he frowned. "You can call me..." he trailed off thoughtfully, conspicuously wracking his brain for a name that should have come naturally. "You can call me Trevor."

"Trevor will stay with me, then, until I can return him to his coven," Everett decided. "You can go now."

- Comment on his name
- Ask Trevor questions
- Disagree with Everett
- Agree with Everett
- Other
- Leave

 

[ArcticFox]

"Sure, Trevor." Lianna smiled, deciding to ignore the blatant lie. When the doctor wanted to usher her out of the clinic, she stood firm however. "Trevor and I had an agreement. I would like a couple of moments alone with him to ask him something. Then I'll leave you alone." She turned to the witch boy, "Is that alright?"

 

[Cartoonicat]

Trevor's nod triggered the icy gaze from before, prompting Everett to lay a protective hand on the boy's shoulder. Trevor didn't shrug him off, but he did look up at the doctor curiously.

Everett didn't say anything further.

"What do you want to know?" Trevor asked.

- Ask about his mark
- Ask about his coven
- Ask about the demons
- Ask something else
- Other

 

[ArcticFox]

"Gods, Everett, I got Trevor out of a cell, I'm not about to harm him now." Lianna rolled her eyes at the doctor. All of this mistrust was getting tiresome.

When Trevor addressed her, she focused her attention on him, squatting down so they were on eye-level.

"Would you tell me where to find Ymara's Children? That is your coven, isn't it? I have a favour to ask of them as well." Then a little hushed she added, "Provided they don't attack me on sight."

 

[Cartoonicat]

"Sorry I don't quite trust you around my patients," he mumbled, referring to the last time they'd really seen each other.

Trevor, however, seemed more willing to accommodate. "We don't have a proper meeting place," he said, "but Mum likes–... liked to go dancing and some of the older witches hold brunches at their homes." He still wore Lianna's cloak, fingers fiddling with the hem. "There are a lot of us, but we don't all know each other. Ymara says it's safer that way."

Everett sighed, unable to stay out of the discussion. "Like anyone, if you pose a threat, they'll defend themselves," he said, "but they're more reasonable than most witches I've met."

Trevor nodded, then added: "We still hate Hunters, though. Especially my nan."

- Ask about his nan
- Ask about Ymara
- Ask something else
- Change the subject
- Other

 

[ArcticFox]

"Do you hate me too?" Lianna asked, eyebrow raised.

For some reason she knew that that would make her feel bad. She always wanted to help children like him... human children that is. But looking at little Trevor, he did not seem much different than them. Perhaps he had a chance to grow into someone that did not use human sacrifices. She hoped.

"Do you know how to summon Ymara, maybe?" She asked after a moment.

 

[Cartoonicat]

Trevor looked her up and down, wary but curious. "I don't know yet," he said honestly. The way of a child—assuming they hadn't been caught in a bad act, in which they would then lie to avoid punishment.

Despite the warning grip on his shoulder from the doctor, Trevor nodded. "I can," he said, "Ymara likes sweets, books, and cats. Tea, too, but only a special kind. I don't know how to brew it."

Everett had several herbs and books in the clinic, but the look of disapproval indicated he was not interested in contributing.

- Go shopping
- Search for a cat
- Ask about the summoning ritual
- Other

 

[ArcticFox]

"Alright." Lianna nodded. Sweets and books are easier to find than cats, she just needed to buy them. "Will you help me talk with Ymara if I bring back sweets and books for her?"

 

[Cartoonicat]

"I will. Are you going to buy enough for everyone?" Trevor asked. "Ymara gets irritated if we don't eat, too." He added quietly, as if embarrassed for such a request: "I like chocolate cookies, so..."

Whether or not this was a child's scheme to get free sweets or Ymara actually had such preferences, Lianna couldn't tell.

- Promise treats for everyone
- Promise nothing and leave
- Other

 

[ArcticFox]

Lianna gave him a suspicious look, but smiled at his request, "Of course. I will buy enough candy for you and me as well, but the grumpy doctor is not getting any if he continues on being mean."

 

[Cartoonicat]

Everett remained unphased until Trevor looked up with a mischievous grin that had the doctor playing along. "Lianna's right," the doctor begrudgingly confirmed, "grumps don't get candy."

Trevor couldn't suppress a snicker.

"Alright, alright," Everett guided him towards one of the back rooms. "Check-up first, candy second."

That left Lianna on her own with the task of... demon gift shopping?

- Head to a candy store
- Head to a bakery
- Head to a library
- Head to a bookstore
- Search for a cat
- Other

 

[ArcticFox]

There was a first time for everything. She only hoped there won't be a second time for this particular shopping spree.

Since the candies were the first thing on everyone's mind, she went toward the candy store and see how much can she afford exactly, she hasn't gotten a payout in a while.

 

[Cartoonicat]

The candy store was small, a bit run down like the rest of the city, but relatively inexpensive according to the chipping chalkboard sign outside. Truffles were on sale that day.

Under the sign lay a fat cat with no collar, having likely made the space below its personal napping spot for the day. As Lianna neared, it sprung to life.

"Meow," it begged for food, though its weight indicated it got plenty scraps from other passerby.

- Pet the cat
- Take the cat
- Shoo the cat
- Go inside
- Other

 

[ArcticFox]

"Oh, would you like to come with me as well?" Lianna asked, as she bent down to pet the cat's fluffy little head. "Though, knowing demons, it might kill you." She frowned. "We don't want that."

Patting the cat one more time as farewell she walked into the shop to look for chocolate cookies and since truffles were on sale, she might get them as well.

 

[Cartoonicat]

The candies, while affordable, appeared amateurish in appearance. Smeared icing, color schemes that were more than a bit incompatible, etc. They hardly looked tasty, but then again, appearances could be deceiving.

"Hi, welcome to Nina's," said a woman behind the counter. "Can I get you anything? Truffles are three for one coin. Sale lasts until the end of the day."

- Buy sweets

- Truffles (3 for 1 coin)​

- Cookie (1 for 1 coin)​

- Brownie (1 for 1 coin)​

- Cupcake (1 for 2 coins)​

- Slice of cake (1 for 4 coins)​

- Medium whole cake (1 for 10 coins)​

- Large whole cake (1 for 20 coins)​

- Bargain
- Ask a question
- Leave
- Other

 

[ArcticFox]

"Hello." Lianna greeted with a smile. "Can I have nine truffles and five cookies, please?" Hopefully the demon wasn't too picky.

 

[Cartoonicat]

The woman perked up even more. "Of course!" After ringing up each item, the total came to 8 coins. "Thank you so much. Have a lovely day!"

Upon leaving the establishment with her spoils, the fat cat found her again. This time it rubbed against her legs, purring and meowing and begging for scraps more persistently than before. Chocolate sweets were probably not all that healthy for the creature, though.

- Pet the cat
- Take the cat
- Feed the cat a sweet
- Shoo the cat
- Go somewhere else
- Return to Everett's
- Other

 

[ArcticFox]

"Alright, alright." Packing the bag of sweets in her backpack, Lianna bent down to pick up the cat. "I will bring you with me, but I promise I won't let you be sacrificed." With that, she headed toward the clinic. Maybe the sweets and a cat were enough.

 

[Cartoonicat]

The cat licked and nipped her hand, searching for treats it obviously felt entitled to. When it found none in her palms, it huffed, though let her continue carrying it.

"Did you get cookies!?" Trevor appeared so suddenly at the dingling of the clinic bell, one would thing he materialized out of thin air. "You found a cat! Ymara loves cats." He reached forward to scratch under the cat's chin, who burst into a loud purr.

They'd concluded the check-up, it seemed, for Everett sat in a chair scribbling notes when she entered. He didn't look happy.

- Offer him a cookie
- Ask about the check-up
- Begin the summoning ritual
- Introduce the cat
- Other

 

[ArcticFox]

Lianna handed the cat over to the boy, "What should we name it?" She asked.

After seeing Everett's expression she stepped past the boy and to the doctor, peering over his shoulder to what he was writing. "Is it bad?" She asked, concerned.

 

[Cartoonicat]

Trevor struggled to hold the cat in such thin, wiry arms, but managed with enough effort. "He's so fat," he said, "let's call him Grub."

Everett feigned a smile for Trevor before shaking his head subtly once the boy turned. Quietly, he told Lianna what he'd found. "I don't know what they did to him, but he's not just malnourished and dehydrated," he said. "It's like he took a bath in liquid amber; he has hardly enough energy to safely conduct a simple spell, let alone a ritual."

"Can I have a cookie?" Trevor asked. Just like the newly named cat, food seemed to be the only thing on his mind.

- Give Trevor a cookie
- Rename Grub
- Begin the ritual
- Postpone the ritual
- Ask a question
- Other